The Photographer

(15) Taking a gamble

"This is madness," Britta complained to Antti as soon as Seb had ventured back into the house he was renting for a few days, up in the hills and away from hustle and bustle of the famous Monaco street circuit, "I just don't understand him sometimes, barely five minutes ago he was pining for Iris and now he expects us to believe that this woman, some randomer he picked up in London, is a new girlfriend?"

"We had been trying to stop him from going after her," Antti pointed out as a pretty blonde woman could be heard shrieking and then laughing just as she came running outside with Seb in pursuit, a devilish grin on his face.

"I know but it was only a few days ago that he flew to London for Iris's exhibition, he even bought all her photos, I know because I've been lumbered with organising having them shipped home."

"Well he's happy and that's all I care about; if he's happy, he's motivated and that makes my job easier," he replied, trying not to look as Seb pinned Lucy, his new English girlfriend, up against the car and proceeded to kiss her in full view of himself and Britta.

"It's all an act," Britta muttered, toying with the handlebar on one of the two bikes he was holding while he waited for Seb.

"The main thing is that she isn't married."

"He's on the rebound,"she rolled her eyes, Seb was behaving like a randy teenager around Lucy and it was quite out of character for him.

"What would you rather? Him still chasing after Iris and being miserable, especially as she's now got her husband travelling with her? Or would rather him moving on and having some fun? I know which I prefer," he said as Seb finally tore himself away from Lucy and wandered over, looking very pleased with himself.

"Talking about me?" he asked Britta, finishing with a cheeky wink.

"Just showing concern," she replied, as he picked up his bicycle helmet from the ground and started to put it on, "is she coming to the track?"

"If you mean Lucy," he glanced her way and grinned as she smiled and waved, "yes, you're bringing her."

She leant closer to him and asked, "and what about Iris?"

He shrugged, the corners of his mouth briefly turning downwards, "what about her? She's a colleague, a team member and as you always like to point out, she's married."

"I know but don't you think...."

"You didn't want me to have anything to do with Iris, now I haven't," he cut her off, "now I've met someone new, all of a sudden you're worried about her. Iris is understandably staying loyal to her husband, I have no chance of anything happening with her. You've got what you wanted, I've moved on.  Please be happy for me." He got on to his bike and began to pedal away, calling out, "I'll see you there! Don't be late!"

Britta rolled her eyes again and muttered, "me being the late one?! As if."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Best commute ever," Ben enthused as they crossed one of the specially erected, scaffold bridges that allowed F1 personnel to get to the garages quicker.

Arriving in Monaco the day before, he'd been in awe of the place; of it's mariner packed with expensive super yachts and boats, of it's famous casino and hotel, the super cars everywhere you looked and of his first look at the F1 paddock where teams were finishing setting up and everyone scurried around, all with their own jobs to do like a hive of worker bees. His parents, and Iris's too, had been to Monaco on a cruise and he'd seen the photos so he knew a little of what to expect but adding Formula One to it, he was blown away.

Holding her hand, he swung their arms as they walked, looking at her with doe eyes - for all of the beauty and glamour that surrounded them, nothing and no one was more beautiful than his wife. Getting to travel some of the world with her, he already felt more in love with her than he'd ever done.